Though little remains of the original structure today, historical records reveal that this was once the seat of the O’Brennan family, who held sway over this part of Kilkenny for centuries. The castle’s strategic position allowed its inhabitants to control important routes through the region, making it a valuable stronghold during the turbulent medieval period when local chieftains vied for power and influence.

The O’Brennans, like many Gaelic Irish families, found themselves caught between worlds following the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. They managed to maintain their holdings at Lismateige whilst adapting to the changing political landscape, sometimes allying with Norman lords, sometimes resisting them. The castle itself likely evolved from an earlier ringfort or earthwork fortification, with stone defences added as warfare technology advanced and the family’s fortunes allowed.

By the 17th century, the castle’s importance had waned considerably. The Cromwellian conquest and subsequent land confiscations saw many such Gaelic strongholds abandoned or destroyed, and Lismateige was no exception. Today, visitors to the site will find only scattered stones and earthworks; remnants that require imagination to conjure the bustling fortress that once stood here. The surrounding landscape, however, remains much as it would have appeared to the castle’s medieval inhabitants, with rolling fields and distant hills providing the same natural boundaries that made this location so defensible centuries ago.